KUALA LUMPUR: Former transport minister Ong Tee Keat said he welcomed any investigation into the purchase of 38 electric trains from China.Ong, however, said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had not contacted him over the purchase of the Electric Multiple Units (EMUs) that were said to be overpriced by half a billion ringgit.
"In fact, whether it is EMU or other procurement, I welcome any investigation by MACC. It is their job to investigate," he said here today.Ong, who was transport minister when the purchase was made and was replaced by Kong Cho Ha during a Cabinet reshuffle two months ago, said he was never involved in any pricing and tender specification negotiation.
He was commenting on a newspaper report today that the MACC had begun investigating the RM1.6 billion purchase of the six-car EMUs after the Public Accounts Committee handed a report to the commission.
The former MCA president explained that the decision to purchase the EMUs was not finalised by the Transport Ministry as the final decision came from the Finance Ministry, and the specification was done by Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB).
Explaining his role in the matter, Ong said as the transport minister, he was made the lead minister in the National Key Result Area (NKRA) for urban public transport where he focused on efforts to increase public transport passenger capacities within a certain period of time."The NKRA secretariat had set a target for the trains to be ready for use by the first quarter of 2012. These EMUs cannot be bought off the shelve as it requires two to three years for any unit to be ready," he said.
Moreover, due to the urgency of the delivery and because the EMUs had to be built according to KTMB specification, Ong said they had to purchase the units at a higher price.He also said that it was not true that the price of the 38 EMUs did not include the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) package.
"It is not true to claim that no maintenance schedule was included. This was one of the issues that was brought up... this was one area which I personally looked into."I have no intention of playing spokesman for the Transport Ministry or other agencies, but am merely guided by my conscience to voice my concern over the matter."It would be morally wrong to allow some untrue arguments to prevail," he said.
Source - Bernama
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